What actually is mithril?

[@Kelnx]

So here's an interesting tidbit: The two places we know that mithril had been found were Númenor (heavily implied anyways) and the Misty Mountains (in Khazad-dûm). Númenor was raised from the Sea by the Valar as a gift and the Misty Mountains were raised by Morgoth as a barrier. This implies that mithril may be naturally occurring but is really only found very deep in the earth and the availability of it in Khazad-dûm was entirely because Morgoth had moved all of that earth up from the depths to make a mountain range. This also would imply that it's possible to find small amounts in any mountain range (as all mountains are formed upwards from the crust), but the Misty Mountains are unique because of how deep that rock came from.

[@toonbat]

It's odd, because it is described as a light metal. You'd think it'd have to be super dense to sink into the Earth like that.

[@luz_reyes_676]

​@@toonbatdense with magic

[@PotentiallyAndy]

That’s a really good point yes

[@DisFantasy]

It sounds like what's left over when one or more Valar perform a miracle.

[@deusexaethera]

​@@toonbat: If Arda's geology were the result of accretion, gravitational differentiation, and plate tectonics, then you would be absolutely right that mithril ought to have risen to the surface naturally. But Arda was manufactured.

[@lmr4403]

I like that due to Mithril even the books, that are clearly from elven perspective with its corresponding biases, cannot deny the superiority in the Dwarven skills in crafting/manipulating/mining of mithril.

[@stefanstraka7517]

Elves are good at everything but to truly excell at something you need true natural talent and dedication that removes you from pursuing much else, that is what dwarves had

[@davidtatro7457]

Just a couple of comments. What Gandalf actually said was that Bilbo's mithril shirt was worth more in monetary value than the entire Shire and everything in it. Which is far more than just the Shire's GDP. Also, Tolkien's description of how the Dwarves made from it a metal that was the lightest and strongest known for weapons and armor kind of implies that they either alloyed it with something else, or found a special way to heat treat it so that it took on those properties. Either way, that's a fascinating tidbit that Tolkien never explained, but l think it just makes it an even more interesting subject. Awesome video as always.

[@Beregorn88]

I wanted to point out exactly this: since the pure mithril is basically silver that doesn't oxidize, it would make as an awful material for weapons and armours...

[@davidtatro7457]

@@Beregorn88 Yep. As someone who has a bit of nerdy interest in metallurgy because of my obsession with fine cutlery, this really gets my imagination going. Lol

[@Gilgwathir]

This was always my understanding too, that they produced an alloy using Mithril and other metals, produce a special kind of Mithril steel, which just got shortened to Mithril

[@undercoverduck]

Apart from quantity, we should also consider the purity of other Mithril sources. The same way resources like oil and gold can appear in vast amounts but in such low concentration that mining/purifying it up to standards is either technologically or financially infeasible, the mines of Moria may have only contained 1% of Middle Earth's Mithril with that 1% being the only 1% that was readily accessible during its time.

[@bluesbest1]

Rare Earth Elements is another example. They're found basically everywhere in the Earth's crust, but they're in such low quantities that miners have to filter out everything else. This is also highly toxic to the environment, but that's a different issue entirely. Come to think of it, if that kind of mining was as developed in Tolkien's time as it is now, the Plains of Gorgoroth would probably be a mining pit for the stuff.

[@Cashdummy]

in the 5th to 6th age of middle earth, no smart phone would run without mithril. or in our world indium, gallium, rhodium and that stuff.

[@eatmorenachos]

Good analogy. There's gold dissolved in the ocean, but it's spread so thin that it's not technically or economically feasible to extract. I saw a documentary years ago that said gold deposits the Pacific Northwest were formed over gazillions of years of ocean water leaching gold and quartz into the tectonic plates----or something like that.

[@caleb_wesman]

We could frack for more mithtil

[@davidconner-shover51]

@@bluesbest1 Often times, it is found in with ores far less valuable ounce per ounce, but much easier to mine out, I cant remember, but Iron or Auminum comes to mind. then the tailings from the main process become more valuable because the rare earths are already refined heavily from the main mineral.

[@RamsFan93]

From my own extensive research, it takes 55 mining to aquire and 50 smithing to start making ingots, at 61 you can make every known mithril items.

[@jvr8495]

From the same sources i found out that just 30 defence and/or attack is needed to wear it.

[@buddlos]

I really don't get the fuss. Have they heard of adamant? Rune? Mate, when the elves hear about the barrows brothers, they're gonna swim to Valinor.

[@FoolOverride]

Such a wise person you are

[@PinkLemnade]

thats OSBS not Runescape, in Runescape it only requires 30 smithing and mining

[@RamsFan93]

@@PinkLemnade imagine thinking RS3 is better than OSRS. Enjoy diet WoW.

[@29jgirl92]

What I love about Lord of the Rings is that it's a fantasy story set in a fantasy world that is NOT at its height. Its greatest age has come and gone and it's shown over and over again in the story, with all the ruins all the characters come across and all the songs and tales and history. Which is extra fascinating considering it was written by a British guy in a time when the British Empire was coming to it's end.

[@InWithBothFeet]

So it's kind of a fantasy Mad Max with magic instead of turbos, oil wells, and gyrocopter captains..

[@Armbrust210]

Been loving the very frequent uploads recently. Very smart to tie a lot of them in with the current themes of the Rings of Power Episodes. I hope the grind pays out for you, i love your content👍🏻

[@notforwantoftrying1]

The guy has 772k subscribers, I'm sure it's paid out already

[@beveragebrit]

They don't explain it so he might as well

[@reppinTV]

@@beveragebrit😂

[@polyestermammoth740]

“Content” is a word that shouldn’t be used in reference to a labour of love, to artistry, like this.

[@Destroyer94100]

Rings of Power is garbage lol

[@mibo1065]

The most soothing voice of the internet. And the best lotr/lore videos.

[@Frodo1000000]

What I listen before sleep to spark imagination

[@RainOfAshes]

"That's more than the entire GDP of The Shire." said Gandalf in an off the cuff moment.

[@Ylyrra]

Shares in The Shire encountered a sharp sell-off following the shock announcement by the expert, who until recently had been one of The Shire's biggest advocates.

[@originaluddite]

He just liked sharing knowledge, and also mentioned the atomic number of mithril, but Samwise edited it out of the Red Book of Westmarch, on account of how it would bore most readers.

[@2Jaded]

Just started on the audiobooks Also got my mother watching ALL the Peter Jackson films. I’m on a roll! Digesting all the in depth lore from In Deep Geek.

[@ahmedshaharyarejaz9886]

Aw, that's sweet how you and your mom are bonding over LOTR. 😊

[@MoultrieGeek]

I would love to have Robert narrate Tolkien's entire legendarium on audiobook.

[@highlandoutsider]

Do you think the dwarves had to seal some of the deeper tunnels after reclaiming Moria? Durin's Bane being gone is great, but was it not said to be in tunnels and caverns made by the "nameless things"? If so I'd be worried about them making their way up too 🤔

[@LadyAlaina42-c3e]

Good thought!

[@daniell1483]

Ah Mithril, the original fantasy metal that has made countless would-be writers try their own hand at creating their own super fancy metal to replace steel.

[@davidtauriainen9116]

Then Weis and Hickman decided to make steel the fancy metal that replaces gold and silver in value.

[@sr71silver]

@@davidtauriainen9116 Where was that? I'm only familiar with their dragon lance books and I can't remember that in any of them.

[@davidconner-shover51]

Unobtainium or Vibranium seems to be common in movies with different properties depending upon the movie

[@AmyThePuddytat]

​@@sr71silverYeah, steel is normal in Dragonlance. In Feist's Magician, the Tsurani world of Kelewan has hardly any metal, so steel is hugely expensive. They use swords and armour of many layers of wood or scraped hide, hardened with resin.

[@lionelpahulycz9077]

One could argue that, for weapons at least, Damas steel inspired Tolkien's Mithril.

[@Kozu604]

LOTR IDG is just so good, can't get enough of it. My favourite video I think is the watcher in the water just for the evocative thoughts of the world beneath the mountains and the sinister planning of damming the river.

[@ThommyofThenn]

It's the good stuff

[@dabougi8063]

I post it here and now, but might as well fit every other of your videos too: Besides the interesting content, we get real Audiobook Flair with your soothing voice and your pronounced presentation. Nothing is boastful- a gem in these "louder faster" times. Thanks a lot

[@emrek99205]

Once tempered, I always thought of mithril as akin to our modern titanium. Harder than steel but as light as aluminum. In fact, the maliable form might have actually been aluminum. That would very easily explain a lot of its appearance. So that makes mithril as aluminum when soft and as titanium when tempered. This would very easily explain what mithril is if you ignore the modern commonality of the metals.

[@davidtauriainen9116]

(Refined) Aluminum wasn't common until very recent in history because it takes a lot of energy to refine. So much, in fact, that in the 1800's it was one of the most precious metals, plates and utensils were made from it, and the Washington Monument was capped with aluminum. According to the US national archives, aluminum sold for $1.10/ounce in 1884, while silver sold for $0.55/ounce.

[@davidconner-shover51]

@@davidtauriainen9116 the mad thing is, polished (before it is attacked by oxygen, it is the most reflective material on earth

[@emrek99205]

@@davidtauriainen9116 Right. I was talking about the rarity in the modern, last few decades, era. Tin was still being used for soda cans in the early 1900s but seems to have changed to aluminum in the last 40 or 50 years or whenever it was. It's a lot more common now than in the 1800s.

[@emrek99205]

@@davidconner-shover51 Copper is similar. From what I understand, copper used to be used almost synonymously to gold in terms of its ability to hold a shine. However in the last few centuries the overall atmospheric oxygen content has increased which tarnishes copper greatly. Apparently it didn't used to do that as much or as quickly as it does today. Having to polish copper didn't used to be a thing. Exactly why this happened in the last few centuries, I have no idea. Not an expert on it at all. Just something I've heard from watching too many PBS documentaries and Antiques Roadshow. I'm sure someone else would know more about why.

[@benjaminnewman6772]

@@davidtauriainen9116 my fan theory, although definitely not canon and I'm not sure if the timing is right, is that mithril *is* aluminum - very common, but not refinable without electricity which was unknown to the ancient Elves and Dwarves. Without electricity, it would take some other kind of fantastic energy to render it from oxide rock to its metallic form... maybe energy like the malign life-force of a Balrog being buried there for ages of the world? That would make the presence of mithril and Durin's Bane under the same mountain not a coincidence.

[@pacmonster066]

Personally I never took Gandalf's answer about Khazad-dûm being the only place the entirety of mithril could be found. I interpreted it as, this is the only place that already has the facilities and easily accessible veins to mine and process it into useable material. It's impossible for Gandalf to know for certain that the metal doesn't exist elsewhere in Middle Earth, Maiar are not all knowing. And with Sauron and other leaders requesting any be brought to them, clearly there were other sources of it, even in small quantities.

[@xcfjdyrkdtulkgfilhu]

He almost certainly meant the last significant deposit left. There were probably additional mines in the eastern parts of middle earth that were lost in the cataclysms that ended the first and second ages. Bilbo's maille shirt was supposed to be elven made, and more likely dated back to the first age than the second - if that's the case, it pretty much has to predate the Moria deposit starting to be mined.

[@pacmonster066]

@@xcfjdyrkdtulkgfilhu Again, he has zero way to know it is. Minerals can be found anywhere. Saying the "last significant deposit left" infers a closed loop where Gandalf already knows where all mineral deposits on the planet exist.

[@avantasian8610]

Wasn't Bilbo's shirt wrought by the dwarves for some forgotten elf prince, long ago

[@dlxmarks]

@@avantasian8610 Yes and people have deduced that since he was the only known elven prince from when the dwarves held Erebor that the coat was made for Legolas. It's a cute idea but I don't know if Thranduil could afford it or why Legolas would need such a thing in his childhood.

[@laughingtraitor1969]

@@pacmonster066 Ok, how about 'the only active seam in Middle Earth'.

[@smartperson1]

2:15 "Hey, Galadriel, what's up with that cool ring you're wearing?" "It's Nenya business."

[@Jon-xw9om]

I bet you're Galadweall got that.

[@scotte4765]

I've seen the same joke done in this variant: Sauron: "Hey, Celebrimbor, whatcha making?" Celebrimbor: "Nenya business."

[@Lucius_Chiaraviglio]

@@scotte4765 . . . Thereby accidentally giving the ring its name.

[@mattgilbert7347]

Go stand in the corner and think about what you've done!

[@LeftyScaevola]

“The Dwarves could make of it a metal …” tells me that is was alloyed with other metals when used for strong armor, weapons, and other structural uses.

[@joels5150]

Gandalf says, “Here alone in the world was found Moria-Silver…”. It could be true that the mithril mined from Moria was the only place to obtain that brand as it were. Acknowledging that mithril found and mined from other places in Middle Earth was alternatively known as True-Silver/Mithril, but that only the mithril actually mined from within Moria bore the name Moria-Silver. 🤷‍♀️

[@EmonEconomist]

It's only Moria-Silver if it comes from the Moria region of the Misty Mountains. Otherwise it's just sparkling Mithril...

[@AmyThePuddytat]

​@@EmonEconomistMoría-Silver™

[@ChannelStowyn]

Thank you for preserving this Mythology, we need more like you

[@sciencegiant]

Do one on the Stone of Erech!

[@glamourweaver]

My headcanon is Mithril occurred where the light of the two trees fell upon the stone and ores of Valinor. It wasn’t found in Middle Earth in the First Age beyond what the exiles brought with them. At the end of the First Age though two Silmarils were lost in the sea and the fires of the earth - and with that the light of the two trees was again freed to fall upon stone and ore, and so mirthril was found in the raised island of Numenor and deep within the earth mined by Moria.

[@mattagnello]

I know people don't like the Rings of Power version... but I do think it's cool to connect Mithril and the Silmarils. Consider that one was lost in the earth, another in the sea, and Valinor is where the light of the trees originated. Numenor's and those spread throughout Middle Earth could have come from the Silmarils. It gives a reason for its properties, rather than just being a random metal that was really useful. Durin looks into the Mirrormere by the entrance and sees shimmering lights. Maybe a little of the light of the trees, even captured under the depths of the earth, lingered there.

[@MarcusHalverstram]

You're full of surprises Mr. Geek

[@pleappleappleap]

The mithril shirt wasn't just worth more than the GDP of the Shire, it was worth more than the *land of the Shire* and everything on it.

[@philvanderlaan5942]

I know what Tolkien said, but if you can’t sell something because nobody can buy it, does it really have value?

[@capadociaash8003]

@@philvanderlaan5942I mean it can make pretty darn good armor so yeah

[@philvanderlaan5942]

@@capadociaash8003 my point is that bilbo’s mithril shirt was worth the whole of the shire , who would be able to buy it . I can’t remember what a set of +5 chain mail was in the old 1st edition AD&D was worth but it wasn’t much more than a small castle

[@Rockoblocko]

Wow I LOVE this channel. It has become one of my top 5 favorite channels. Thanks and keep up the great work!

[@JoeRyer13]

Not only are your videos high quality, they are so often too. Keep it up, never sacrifice quality for quantity and rest if you need to avoid burnout. You have a fantastic channel, may the algorithm guide your future favourably

[@Turnoutburndown]

Umph, love that vision of the end of Moria restored!

[@taldynamo8298]

Robert, can please you do a video on what happened to Arwen after Aragorn passed away?

[@panasclepias2937]

She died as well. She was half elven half human, and as such could chose her fate. The movies never talk about this, but basically, if you were of both kinds, you could choose the doom of man, and die and be reborn for the next creation. The elves were doomed to live eternally in Arda, the first born in the First Creation.

[@marieroberts5664]

​@@panasclepias2937 the movies did mention it, but first it was Daddy Elrond trying to convince Arwen that Aragorn would die, but she would be forced to live on, alone, "until the days of your life were utterly spent"; then it was a desperate Elrond travelling to Rohan to tell Aragorn to become the King he was meant to be, because Arwen was dying, turning Mortal, and her fate was now bound to that of the Ring, and if Sauron were not defeated, the Darkness would kill her. A bit of a deviation from the books, granted, but it sort of got you to the same place. Arwen gives up her immortality, then dies a year after Aragorn's passing.

[@lorisewsstuff1607]

To me, she is one of the most tragic characters in the history of Middle Earth. It's a shame that more light wasn't shed on her story.

[@fullmetal929]

She dieded

[@meganofsherwood3665]

There's a beautifully sad rendition of it the Appendices to the Lord of the Rings, under "The Tale of Aragorn and Arwen". Aragorn choses his time of death, so to speak, so as "not to rust" (how my grandmother described the process of aging into a nursing home). Afterward, Arwen bids their children farewell and rides north, alone, to the area once known as Loth Lorien, now long abandoned, and without the magical preservation of Galadriel's ring. Galadriel, you see, was Arwen's grandmother, and Aragorn actually proposed to Arwen in Loth Lorien. There she died, and over the place where she died rose a green hill, covered in elanor flowers. The land itself embracing and revering Arwen Evenstar, Elf and Queen of Middle Earth, and with her death, the true Passing of an Age

[@mikeys2986]

I too, am on 'team titanium' And since it was found in Cornwall/ first described AND He was writing during WW II, (and the later 50's) when it first became an important military alloy, it makes sense that mithril became this wonder metal that is almost perfect for the properties of fantasy metals (especially Norse myths he knew) and yet grounded in real-life details...So why not?

[@SCWillson]

Titanium doesn't look like silver even when polished. It's darker, for one thing.

[@jonesnori]

Dwarvish magic, clearly!

[@IIARROWS]

I like how you throw shades to Amazon series, elegant and subtle.

[@emythatsenough5016]

Oh another wonderfully read upload❤❤❤❤❤ Thank you.

[@fabianstenseth9876]

mellon

[@goodbanter4427]

🍉🍉🍉

[@hegemonycricket2182]

What is the elvish word for friend. I'll take 'S'words for 1000

[@SamuelFeet-tq2jb]

In the moonlight you coax, you tease the precious fumes of molten mithril slowly, so slowly, out of moonlit, starlit mist with words of thrumming power.

[@boomer150]

My favorite parts of The Rings of Power series where the parts featuring the dwarves. In LOTR and The Hobbit we barely get to see much of anything of dwarf society. Moria was a tomb, Erebor was empty. We only get a glimpse of dwarven society at the start of The Hobbit. I wanted to see dwarven society at its height and The Rings of Power delivered that. Even more in Season 2. We finally got to see dwarven women too. The music when we first enter Khazad-dûm in season 1 was amazing stuff. I sometimes listen to that song. Mithril being the central plot point was pretty good in my book. The origin story I thought was pretty good. The light of the elfs and the evil of the Balrog fusing together to form something truly special. Sorta explaining why mithril is so special among the materials of middle earth.

[@Hoopaugi]

The troll smashing Frodo with the spear wouldn't pierce the chainmail, sure, but it sure as shit should have flattened his organs where it hit

[@davidcameron648]

Hobbits aren't humans. Tolkien outright stated in the text (and demonstrated it multiple times throughout) that hobbits have a greater physical and mental constitution than other mortal races. Frodo survived the Morgul knife injury far longer than any other mortal could. Merry and Pippin endured days of forced marching and rough handling by the Uruk-Hai with little physical consequences. Frodo survived Shelob's attack and his subsequent capture by the orks. Both Frodo and Sam endured great physical and mental anguish traveling to Mount Doom. So it's not surprising that Frodo could shake off a blow that would have seriously injured a human with just some bruises.

[@meganofsherwood3665]

See, that's the real magic of mithril: it didn't just keep the speartip from piercing, it almost completely redistributed the force from the blow! 😂

[@alterego3734]

The links in the chainmail were designed in such a way that the curvature in one direction could not exceed a certain value. This still gave it flexibility, while preventing the chainmail from becoming concave in the chest and abdominal area. It is a lost dwarven art. I suspect that a large part of the value of that chainmail is due to each of its links being custom-made and interlinked in such a way as to enable this selective flexibility.

[@meganofsherwood3665]

@@alterego3734 I understood maybe half of that, but yes. Agree 100%

[@erminos8628]

That event in the film always bothered me to the high hell. Given the enormous force the spear-tip would transfer, none of these answers can suspend my disbelief. Magic, kinda, but so boring

[@t3tsuyaguy1]

The impression that I got from the Silmarillion is that mithril was found in meaningful amounts in Valinor, and perhaps still is, but because it was moved outside the circles of the world after the 2nd age, it is no longer accessible to anyone in Middle Earth. But also, I got the impression that mithril was relatively abundant in Beleriand, and that is why it was more widely used in the elven kingdoms of that land, before it was sunk into the ocean in the war between the Valar and Morgoth. I did have the impression that east of Beleriand, over the Ered Luin, Moria was the only place mithril was found in large quantities.

[@jamessmith-yk3sc]

mitheral could be aluminum with a heavy anodizing coat.light.malleable. doesn't tarnish but can be made harder than tempered steel by electrolytic anodizing in sulfuric acid. this leaves a thick coating of sapphire on the metal giving it great hardness

[@hangebza6625]

Mithril reminds me of bronze sometimes. Because bronze us arguably much better than iron, if both are in equal supply. Its easier to work and to mass produce, easier to recycle, roughly as hard as iron but also much more ressistant to oxidation. Indeed its likley that many bronze age cultures knew how to make iron, but didn’t because bronze was better in their mind. However you need copper and tin for bronze. And tin is rare. There are minor mines in the mediterranian but the only ones to fullfill the demand of the various empires were in centeal asia and the british isles. And there were huge, transcontinental trade routes with normed tin units to get that tin from there. Tin was basicly the oil of its age. But when the trade routes broke down people couldn't make bronze in old quantities anymore. More or less forcing them to switch to iron

[@GafferPerkele]

And when cannons became things, they were made of copper and bronze for ages, due to it just being that much easier to work with at that scale.

[@tippyc2]

Coming from an engineer, an iron/steel object will outperform a similar bronze object in almost every metric except corrosion. People knew that going back to the ancient ages. Meteorite swords were revered both for their rarity and performance. Part of the reason iron rose to take the place of bronze is because people recognized the high performance they could get from iron, and developed technology to produce and work the more difficult yet higher-performing material.

[@samueldimmock694]

@@tippyc2 From what I've heard, iron wasn't just harder to work with (in a sense). Properly melting it is very difficult, requiring a very hot fire which it took a long time for people to figure out how to make, and if you don't melt it properly, you will get a perfectly serviceable metal (though not as high-performing as properly melted iron) that is harder to work with than bronze but somewhat higher-performing, except that there may or may not be some invisible flaw in the metal that will cause it to suddenly break for no apparent reason at some unknown time in the future. So there's always a risk of freak mechanical failure when using improperly forged iron, which was the only kind available for most of human history, but the longer the sword or whatever has been in use, the less likely this is, to the point where your great-great-grandfather's iron sword will probably last until some idiot drops it off a cliff. Nowadays, that would probably fall into the category of "difficult to work with," but back in the day, it was just an inherent property of the metal. When it works, it works better than anything else (assuming similar quality of manufacture); but it doesn't always work. So you can see why some civilizations decided not to use it if they had a better option (namely bronze), and others decided to find ways of making it better so it didn't break as often, and why the latter approach eventually came to dominate the industry.

[@Milton2k]

Greatly done as always. I thought for a moment, since I haven't read all Tolkien's works, that Mithril may have come from a meteorite or such.

[@jeffreymackay4343]

If the Elves had named it Mithril, then it would have been known in the world before the Dwarves found it in Moria. This means that Mithril was available in other areas of Middle Earth and Valinor and the Isle of Numenor.

[@marieroberts5664]

Not necessarily. I'm not sure that the Feanorean lamps or the fillet that Feanor wore the Silmarills on was of mithril and nothing described of being of Noldorean make had mithril in it until Viglot (sp) was crafted...so it might be that it was exclusive to Middle Earth, a gift of Mahal to his children, but the naming of it? The Dwarves have a word for it, but they would not have used it with anyone. All it took was the introduction of the mineral and the trading of it, and a name would be created - true silver to Men and so a translation, mithril, by the Elves.

[@jonesnori]

Yes. There is n9 reason to think that the various Elves wouldn't create new words when they needed to, just like any other language speaker.

[@terisaisherwood3006]

Thank you for so much information! I really enjoy your channel!

[@MargoB]

This was fun! You discuss subjects I've never thought of and yet really enjoy hearing about. Thank you for your hard work and for sharing the results with us! I am really missing the videos you had done on Aragorn. Are you planning to upload any on him? They were very inspiring.

[@meganofsherwood3665]

Yes! Please! I need my Aragorn videos back!

[@LeakyCougar]

Love your work mate.

[@MatthewTheWanderer]

Valyrian steel in Game of Thrones/House of the Dragon reminds me a lot of mithril. It is also very rare and very valuable, but is mostly used for weapons and sometimes armor. It also seems to have some magical properties, but also has some differences (I don't think Valyrian steel is as malleable or ductile or mithril is, for example).

[@A.Filthy.Casual]

Tbf, on the note of the RoP story regarding it, Elrond does say specifically that the story is considered to be apocryphal.

[@meganofsherwood3665]

Well, I'm glad they at least threw in that acknowledgement

[@Vagabond_Etranger]

Used to play Runescape from 2006-2008. Mithril was one of the ores near the top. Copper & Iron was at the bottom.

[@ernestcline2868]

Given mithril's marvelous properties, and the obvious attraction both the balrog and Sauron had for the stuff, it's quite reasonable to think it has some property beyond beauty to attract their interest.

[@jonathankipps9061]

If Frodo's mithril coat would function like a non-newtonian material somehow, then it would explain how he could have survived the javelin blow. Imagine if all of the links in that coat would freely pivot on every other link, if done so relatively slowly. But if they're expected to change position within a fraction of a second due to a hard impact, the pivot points seize up. This means the entire coat would instantly change into hard-shell armor when impacted, but would remain as flexible as cloth under normal movement.

[@Andrewtr6]

Fantasy writers really love their fictional metals. I should know since I'm a fantasy writer. One of the trends of noticed with this trope is that fantasy elements are almost always metals. Why don't we see non-metals and metalloids? What about Noble Gases? I've thought about this before and my conclusion is that metals just have more obvious uses with armor and weapons. I would like to see some other fictional elements worked into fantasy. However, I have found it hard to come up with unique properties even for metals. Commonly, I see fictional metals that are more durable than steel like mithril or adamantium. Edit: Also consider the other states of matter besides solid. Since fantasy elements are almost always metals, they tend to be solid. But what about liquids or gas or even other states of matter which are less common? Something I've been thinking about is how is it possible for a metal to be both malleable yet durable? I know that copper was used historically for armor but due to it being easy to work without heating it, this also made it easy to dent and penetrated with weapons. So, how can mithril be so malleable yet be so durable? These properties contradict each other. My best guess to explain this is that mithril has different properties based on how it's forged. I'm not aware if this is explained in lore.

[@samueldimmock694]

The lore says that the dwarves could make a metal from mithril that was harder and stronger than steel, but very light. Which indicates that there's at least some special way of forging it that changes its properties, likely producing some sort of alloy.

[@errkbrrk]

I thought the appendixes said there was mithril in the glittering caves. That’s where they Gimli got it to rebuild the doors.

[@AllAhabNoMoby]

The rarity of Mithril is also the cause for the imposition of deposits on soda cans made of mithril. The stuff is just too rare to be thrown in garbage bins so frivolously.

[@raybloodypurchase1941]

Thanks again Robert.

[@crackey3852]

Love this channel. Question, why did bilbo age so quickly after giving up the ring whereas Gollum didn't seem to, especially after 60 years or so

[@ToothpikcOriginal]

Great analysis, thanks as always :)

[@Freakincident]

Your videos are the best!!

[@game_jinx]

in deep geek for show runner consultant

[@xoso599]

Mithril seems a lot like Aluminum before the Bayer process.

[@bmardiney]

Haha, nice dig at Rings of Power there.

[@hugoCastellnaos]

I felt that the mithril in Khazad-dûm was a jail for the balrog, as it was mine it slowly free the balrog.

[@istari0]

The Balrog fled there after Morgoth's defeat in the War of Wrath. It was not captured.

[@Wolfeson28]

I know this idea probably doesn't hold up, but I've always considered the possibility that mithril was (at least in part) the solidified blood of the Balrog. That would explain its relative abundance in Moria, the fact that the veins of mithril ultimately led to the Balrog, and it's seemingly supernatural properties (being the essence of a semi-divine being). That might possibly feed into an explanation of mithril existing in Numenor and/or Valinor as well - lands either raised or otherwise hallowed by Valar and Maiar.

[@istari0]

@@Wolfeson28 The Balrog was alive. Why would its blood be solidified? Indeed, there is every possibility that the Dwarves were mining mithril before Durin's Bane fled to hide there at the end of The War of Wrath.

[@Wolfeson28]

@@istari0 It's possible they were mining mithril before, but I don't think we're ever told that. But the Balrog fleeing under Moria after the War of Wrath could very easily have been seriously wounded as a result, hence the blood.

[@AmyThePuddytat]

​@@istari0Maybe Balrogs poop mithril.

[@davidniemi6553]

From the first time I heard of it, I always assumed that Mithril was just a fancy kind of aluminium. Sure, it takes special skill to refine it, and it is not just sitting around in elemental form, but once you master refining it and making high quality alloys from it, you have something pretty valuable that can be highly corrosion-resistant and be used for objects of very high strength-to-weight ratio. In our world, it is actually a pretty common metal when you have enough electricity to refine it, but I would expect Middle Earth in the Third Age had a different set of constraints than our world today, so Tolkien used his imagination to make it more special than it is to us today.

[@janwitts2688]

The aluminium mail shirt would be ripped apart by even a basic spear thrust..

[@davidniemi6553]

@@janwitts2688 Is there any modern metal in chain mail form that wouldn't be? Or would the dwarves have had special geometry and design beyond typical chain mail rings that would make a difference?

[@janwitts2688]

@davidniemi6553 Tungsten alloy... would easily not tear against any weapon an orc, goblin or troll would possess.. the kinetic damage would still injure the wearer however, so obviously mithril has magic properties that negate concussion damage..

[@davidniemi6553]

@@janwitts2688 Tungsten is very very heavy, almost as heavy as Platinum (it means "Heavy Stone"). Mithril is very light.

[@janwitts2688]

@davidniemi6553 Grief.. tungsten alloy only contains a few percent tungsten..

[@ssjdeadpool]

Sauron having all that mithril in Mordor does beg the question, why did he not deck out his army in it? Or at least the higher-ups like the Witch King? You would think that even if the orc Smiths didn't have the means to craft with it, Sauron himself at least would. We know he had a bulk of his power back and a physical form in the books. I suppose it's not out of the realm of possibility for their armor to have been made of mithril, but never is the shininess or toughness of orc armor brought up, nor the Witch King or other Ring Wraiths. Of all the writers to omit detail, The Professor was certainly not one of them.

[@haraldjensen1839]

I believe Sauron was planning on using it for his new armour

[@ssjdeadpool]

@@haraldjensen1839 aha, that makes sense

[@Tim.Stotelmeyer]

Mithril is to Sauron as gold is to dragons. He likes to sleep on a pile of it, roll around in it, and take mithril showers.

[@dlxmarks]

Probably for the same reason Sauron seemingly didn't use the 3 rings he recovered from the dwarves: he liked hoarding powerful resources and didn't share unless there was a clear and direct benefit to himself. I suppose that means he thought the Ringwraiths were sufficiently strong as they were.

[@bluesbest1]

@@dlxmarks Especially since the Ringwraiths don't have corporeal bodies that need protecting. "Congratulations, you have pierced my armor. What good does that do you?"

[@RianHagebeuk]

Thank you for another wonderful video. I have wondered for a while, are Bilbo and Frodo wearing Legolas' childhood armour? a small coat of mail, wrought for some young elf-prince long ago. It was of silver-steel which the elves call mithril, and with it went a belt of pearls and crystals. ' The youngest elf we know is Legolas, I thought.

[@kendallcurtis7863]

"... or whatever..." Truer words have seldom been said.

[@BX-advocate]

I fined it interesting that it is both easy to manipulate yet durable as armour. My theory would be that you can only forge it gently because when struck hard it resists, that would explain both its uses.

[@FourthFloorParkour]

It’s crazy how strong it is. Chain mail should be weak against thrusts and points so even against what should be its weakness it stands up. Even Gandolf says it would protect Bilbo from chance arrows

[@MatthewTheWanderer]

Mithril is common in the World of Warcraft and can be mined by players in a few mid level zones. Obviously, they named it after the metal in the Lord of the Rings. Truesilver (which is another name Tolkien used for Mithril) is a completely different and more rare metal that can be mined.

[@inquisitorgarza312]

Mithril may be perhaps a part of the song of creation considering just strong and powerful it is, but perhaps it is able to defy fate and destiny for those who wear them.

[@padmewan]

One might then call it the very stuff of plot armor

[@Destroyer94100]

Isn’t literally everything in middle earth part of the song of creation though?

[@n00bplayer72]

Gil-Galad: Are you familiar with the Song of the Roots of Hithaiglír? Elrond: You mean that smutt story when an Elf, a Balrog and a Tree of Light had a threesome and then got struck by lightning-- Gil-Galad: You do **NOT** need to refer to it like that, but yes.

[@martineldritch]

It's pure and malleable like gold, shines like silver, and is lightweight and strong like titanium..kind of like how i used to try to present myself in job applications

[@mm88deatmatch]

Robert starting this with “we all know that…” just shows he knows how needy we all are. Well played sir

[@tristananleu4677]

We all played RuneScape :p

[@eagle_and_the_dragon]

Tolkien's Oil, as it were. A substance of great use capable of pulling at the heart of all creatures, to their peril.

[@veghesther3204]

Good question since IRC Tolkien I believe invented it first WAY before FF5/FF6 had it as armor/helm/shields or even before its mentioned in the Magic Knight Rayearth Season 1 anime.

[@conniesuper9892]

Yhank you,Robert..❤

[@1stRanger]

3:45 Well, modern ships are made of metal that is way heavier and way weaker than mithril. So I don't see why not.

[@jonathankipps9061]

Fan-fiction here -- The white tower of Ecthelion has a spiral staircase going up the western side of the tower, with all the rooms opening off of that staircase toward the east. Note that Denethor's council chamber has three windows, facing all directions except for west. That staircase continued nearly to the top of the tower. It stopped at a landing outside the final room, but there's no visible door into that room. Instead, the wall shared between that landing and the room has the same magical door setup as the West-gate of Khazad-dum, with Ithildin delineating a door on the wall. A password is needed to enter that room, which is obviously the Palantir chamber. This landing outside the Palantir room is most often used for rooftop access. The tower is too small at this level for the spiral staircase to continue, so there's a ladder leading up the final twenty feet to an opening overhead, where a person can walk out on a small flat roof surrounded by a parapet. From here, you can look down 300 feet to the courtyard below, or 1000 feet down to the plain below. This rooftop is oblong, extending east-west, with the ladder access on the western end. There's a massive flagpole planted on the eastern end of this rooftop, and it's from here that the Tower Guards tend the flag. Because this rooftop is regularly accessed for flag maintenance, and everyone who goes there does so by way of the landing at the top of the stairs, it's general knowledge within the Tower Guard that the landing doesn't seem to have a door opening into the last room of the tower. It also explains why the Stewards are able to keep that password a secret, since they can easily guarantee their own privacy before entering the Palantir chamber.

[@pisacenere]

I have some thoughts on mithril: 1. Many artifacts could be simply covered in it, dipped in liquid since it is basically indestructible, the helmets and Sting could be made of like this, while artifacts like Frodo armor are totally made of it as well as the rings. 2. The indestructible part is enough for making hollow artifacts, so that's why are so light, the movie or the art isn't representing the real size of things, helmets are single ply of mithril and weight grams so is Sting is like aluminum foil

[@Fungo4]

I always wondered how the mithril shirt kept Frodo's insides from getting squeezed out of his body!

[@jimtams]

Love these videos! As a newcomer to tolkien I have a question: In LOTR and ROP, I often hear reference to "The Secret Fire"... what is that? can you make a video about it?

[@willowthemoth]

I totally could be wrong, but I think it refers to the main God in the series.

[@TheWatcherxx99]

ROP is an abomination is it NOT LOTR

[@cadeaugh]

First you have to understand Gandalf is a Maiar which are kind of like Angels. Gandalf was actually present during creation or the first song of the Ainur who were the gods. Gandalf as a servant of the Secret Fire is referencing Eru Iluvatar who is like the main God creator of everything, the Wizards were Maiar sent to middle earth for specific purposes in aiding the peoples, and Gandalf was tied to fire and light. invoking The Secret Fire is saying he wields the power of Eru Iluvatar and has the aid. This is important especially when fighting the Balrog because the Balrogs were also Maiar who were corrupted by Morgoth (who we hear referenced in ROP) and were his main servants behind Sauron. So the Balrog would know The Secret Fire references basically the power of creation of the holy spirit if we continue with the Christian Mythology metaphor and know who he is dealing with. Hope this helps. The Tolkein lore is vast and fascinating. Any media that takes place in that lore is a gift, even if they get some details wrong, its a different way of telling the gorgeous story. Good luck on your Tolkein journey

[@zachlewis9751]

Gandalf was so wise he specifically talked about the GDP of the Shire and the economic turmoil the mithril shirt would cause if that kind of money were introduced to the Shire.

[@MolotDET]

You missed something... Frodo's, and by way of that, the shirt of mithril rings Bilbo was gifted by Thorin was acquired in the treasure horde of Erebor. There was no explanation that the mithril it was made from had come from elsewhere. Nor was it ever said mithril was not mined or produced in the Lonely Mountain.

[@perryallan3524]

As an engineer I always assumed that Mithril was the elvish name for Titanium. Titanium alloys can be soft and malleable, or hard and tough - and everything in between. It's light. It's not an easy metal to work with and requires knowledge and skill. And it does not tarnish in its pure state or if alloyed with non-tarnishing elements. It is found naturally in a metallic crystal form as a Titanium Iron Oxide; and it's not difficult to remove the iron from it during a smelting process. There are few high grade ore deposits in the world worth mining. So many things match up....

[@ryang8915]

Why did you remove a travellers guide to Westeros? Please re add it please

[@davidmarrazzo774]

I think he’s planning on re doing many of them…hopefully. That’s what attracted me to this channel. He should do the same thing with places in middle earth.

[@Sphendrana]

I believe he's been remaking a lot of his previous videos and releasing them again lately (better editing, additions, and corrections most likely I suspect) At first I thought it was an attempt to game the algorithm and get more views on older content, until I payed more attention to them. I enjoy re-watching these, often in the background to fall asleep, but when paying attention I've noticed, or at least think I've moved, subtle changes and additions. Such as the Ungoliant videos. I swear I'd watched one or two a year or so ago, and then recently he uploaded another that may have been the original with additions or corrections. I have little doubt that anything he takes down will be back up with a new polish.

[@alexandravladmets]

​@@davidmarrazzo774 Same here. I wish there was more of them and it's great if he's spending time re-editing them even if they are not the most viewed☺️

[@davidmarrazzo774]

@@alexandravladmets I couldn’t agree more.

[@Zveebo]

@@davidmarrazzo774He’s said he can’t do it for Tolkien’s world unfortunately, as his estate are much more trigger happy when it comes to copyright claims for original content based on his writing. The Traveller’s Guide series doesn’t benefit from fair use exemptions in the same way as his normal videos.

[@thechecker111]

You always try to be so diplomatic about every piece of media published about the Lord of the Rings but even you made it clear that you dislike what Rings of Power did to Tolkien's legendarium. I like that

[@General12th]

Hi Geek! I like to think mithril is aluminum, but in the Legendarium where magic exists, enchanted mithril can become stronger than steel.

[@boazplays7239]

I always thought of Mithril as being a sort of titanium

[@WaggaDaBagga]

It works like a bulletproof vest. The one difference is that: Mithril sparkles beautifully. And is gray like silver.

[@haraldjensen1839]

Any chance of a hint as to when you might re-upload your Guides to Westeros/Essos vids?

[@JOOLZNED]

Its properties remind me of Titanium, light strong wont tarnish and is not cold to the touch

[@Levacque]

7:25 this is officially the most shade Robert has ever thrown 😂 I've never heard him say, "or... whatever," in a video before!

[@Captain_Insano_nomercy]

I love that he mostly stays neutral but throws a little shade where applicable Nobody with integrity thinks ROP is any good and it is outright disrespectful to JRRT

[@chriswarr641]

Wait, is that dumb thing about lightning struck and silmaril infused something someone actually tried to say about mithril?? I have completely ignored the bad hate-fiction stuff that people tried to make recently so I legit had no idea what he was talking about in that part.

[@BananaGoatGaming]

Robert, what is your opinions of the “Rings of power” tv series. Seasons 1&2. I’m interested to get the perspective of a clear fan of Tolkien’s works

[@bradwolf07]

That honestly makes so much sense to me.

[@chukwudisimere8463]

@indeepgeek please do a video on Ancalagon the black

[@adamwu4565]

A combination of being both easily malleable AND harder than tempered steel is basically magic.

[@thetacticalaccountant]

I appreciate the dig at Rings of Power

[@hanneskingo]

The mithril for the new gate of Minas Tirith was not found in Mordor. Gimli, Lord of the Glittering Caves, found it in Aglarond when he settled there.

[@fatman80000]

It is whispered that in other worlds, it was called Dilithium. And crystals made from it can sail ships even through the windless skies . 😂

[@AmyThePuddytat]

Nah, dilithium crystals are knock-off silmarils. Ferengi fraudsters made a few million of them and the galaxy's now full of them.

[@johnclasing4627]

I remember the spear that hit Frodo causing lots of damage and he certainly would have died were it not for the Mithril armor. I also seem to remember it being a big deal. Something that Tolkien wrote about in terms of them needing to treat Frodo and stop somewhat frequently because that injury was so significant. It's possible Im remembering something else but I feel like I remember Aragorn running off to get herbs for them to steam to ease his breathing.

[@josephtattum6365]

Get your girl a Mithril necklace for Christmas fellas. She will love you forever.

[@shadowarez1337]

Or in 2024 take it and split for the guy who will get her a full Mithril chest plate.

[@Gonzooo69]

Mithril is a girl’s best friend

[@nutmegriot209]

it glows blue when children & mother-in-laws are nearby

[@mudmug1]

Diamonds may be forever but mithril may be a ticket to the undying lands

[@peterkoch3777]

Nah... give a woman all she wants and soon she will get bored: "I'm not happy"😂

[@ManicPandaz]

The description of mythril always reminded me of aluminum. Aside from its magical properties it can be a mirror, a wire, armour, tool or even fabric. It’s not as strong tho, which I could even call one of its magical properties.